Second Virgin Shark Gives Birth

Whoah!

Hot off the AP Wire is the story of the second shark to give birth in captivity without the errmm... "help" of a male shark.

"RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Scientists have confirmed the second case of a "virgin birth" in a shark.

In a study reported Friday in the Journal of Fish Biology, scientists said DNA testing proved that a pup carried by a female Atlantic blacktip shark in the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center contained no genetic material from a male.

The first documented case of asexual reproduction, or parthenogenesis, among sharks involved a pup born to a hammerhead at an Omaha, Neb., zoo.

"This first case was no fluke," Demian Chapman, a shark scientist and lead author of the second study, said in a statement. "It is quite possible that this is something female sharks of many species can do on occasion."

Pretty staggering what Earth's creatures are capable of.

For the Love of a Dog

I guess it can only be called dramatic irony to write a post about kinship with sharks, only to find two days later, this story

When he saw his dog being attacked by a reef shark, a Florida man, Greg LeNoir, dove in and punched the shark to save his dog.  Wow!

In a way, you could call that a type of kinship.  Because only a very special bond with your pet drives a man to such a bold and heroic act.  And I guess you could call it communion as well.  Like: "Nooo!", or "Get away from my dog, sharkface!" and finally, "I love you Jake!"

Jake here being the rat-terrier.  Who suffered lacerations to his stomach and back, but is expected to make a full recovery.  That's one lucky dog, one loving owner, and one sore shark.

Like I said before, when it comes to sharks, there's nothing to be afraid of.  Now would I have jumped in for my dog... well, that's another story.

-jordan

Kinship With All Sharks

Yes... sharks! Those man eating super-predators that glide through the collective fears of millions upon millions of us rational, nature loving folk.And maybe you've already heard the statistics: for instance only 4 of 360 species of sharks ever attack humans, most of those accidental. Or that the odds of a shark attack are way way lower than say, getting struck by lightning.

I'm guessing you're not running for the water just yet, (you're running out of it, thank you Mr. Spielberg!) And I get it, believe me... a waterboy from Hawaii who's swam with sharks on a number of occasions. I know. It can be a disconcerting experience. It's also an amazing one.

And while I'm not trying to pet the things or hypnotize them like this crazy dude:


I do respect their intelligence, beauty and power. Up close you have to. Because man isn't the only great species ever to have evolved. Which is why I urge everyone to watch this film:


The simple truth that Sharkwater raises is that we fear what we don't understand. And too often we seek to destroy what we fear. Instead we should learn to appreciate and understand all life. And protect it.

That doesn't mean you have to go out and commune with a shark. But consider it next time you're in the ocean. That shark you so fear... is probably more afraid of you.

-Always merry and bright,
jordan